From:
"hemfcf"
Date: 2011-01-03 06:12:50 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Cubby the Ferret and ongoing health issue-nothing seems to help
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
This looks exactly what my own ferret would do. Shortly after I diagnosed him with megaesophagus. That is my gut feeling as to what is going on with Cubby. Some management changes need to be done right away to try to keep away aspiration pneumonia as long as possible. I am very surprised the barium series didn't reveal this condition. My Gus lost a lot of weight (looked like Cubby) and was regurgitating (I finally figured out it wasn't vomiting). And you're right, they starve to death. They are so hungry and want to eat but the food doesn't make it to their stomach. It sits in the esophagus and that is what makes them so uncomfortable. He will need to be syringe fed a liquid diet in an upright position. This diet could be made up of poultry baby food, a/d, furotone, ferretvite, and even liquified kibble but needs to be VERY liquified. I would hold Gus up just behind his front legs and let him lick the syringe. Feed small amounts and then gentley rub the neck just
a little left of middle (this where the esophagus lies). I had to feed Gus at least four times a day with each meal about 30ml - they will tell you when they're done. I would hold him up and gentley rub the neck for another 10 minutes or so after the meal. There are a few meds I recommend. He needs sucralfate at least 30 minutes before he any meal to coat and protect the esophagus/stomach from ulcers due to stress and stomach acid. He needs famotidine twice daily to try to lower stomach acidity to cause less damage to the esophagus if he gets some reflux with a regurgitation episode. You can try an anti-emetic to try to keep material going aborally although it's helpfullness is controversial. I used it with Gus. Metoclopramide doesn't seem to be as effective with megaesophagus so I would recommend cisapride 2-3 times daily. Try to give cisapride 30 minutes before feeding so that means the sucralfate is at least 30 minutes before this. Another thing that may help is
Essiac. I am not sure I noticed much difference but its worth a shot. Gus lost 8oz before I started to manage him properly but then gained back 10oz. He finally got to the point where the megaesophagus got back enough he dropped a whole pound in 2 months and got aspiration pneumonia. This is the thing that gets these guys in the end. When their breathing and quality of life gets too bad, then it's time to make that decision for them. I was able to keep him going for 5 months to the day. If Cubby doesn't improve with these recommendations, the kindest thing in my opinion would be euthanasia. Good luck with him and I hope this helps.
Dr. Heather
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "Rob" <ragrdg2@...> wrote:
>
> Cubby is a former rescue that was found with 7 others at a local dump in a crate about 2 years ago.
> Maff took them in and i took 2 then a year later 2 more which included Cubby. Cubby is approx 4-5 years old and has had no issue (beside adrenal disease) until about 3 months ago- I started to hear slight gurgle sounds coming from the cage during soup time. Over the next week i observed it was Cubby as he cringed and threw up his soup. That started me & him on a treck to 3 different Vets all with same diagnosis of Ulcer. In 3 months, he has undergone thru 4 different regimines,bloodwork normal, xrays, barium xrays & ultrasound-nothing showing- not even megasophagus and NOthing has made a difference. He has become thin and a week ago i decided to stop torturing him with meds that didnt seem to do anything but make him more upset to see me. Now after eating chix & turkey baby foods for a week with still wretching,gurgling sounds and continued regurgitating, he could not hold down even 2 finger fulls of food without regurge and torture. I decided to make the appointment put
him down today as he now seemed to be starving to death. Well, this am he was waiting to eat so i decided to give him Marshalls warm soup and wouldnt you know he ate it ALL. no problem - little discomfort and kept that in.
> I then served a second bowl and he ate some but then the wretching started & gurgles so he stopped & went to be - but he didnt regurgitate it out. He is resting and i have cancelled his appointment for euthenasia. Can an ulcer cause all this? can the ulcer be in his throat as the sounds are inbetween his shoulders in front- i can feel then & hear them clearly. He tightens up so hard in the neck area and closes his eyes and bends his head down, He seems so much in pain but then he goes back to eat and does it again. He loves to run his toys around and hide them. he still has a lot of life -except the eating aspect! ANYONE experience this before?? Can an Ulcer do all this?? He is a fighter-so am I!
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eggo7EsnJDo
>
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